USC Basketball: New Ranking of Best Centers Slots Nikola Vucevic Shockingly High

Is he ranked too high or too low?

For USC center Nikola Vucevic has become a mainstay in the NBA throughout his career. Now with the Chicago Bulls, Vucevic has been stuck on a fairly mediocre team for years.

However, that could change if the Bulls decide to full go into a rebuild. Vucevic can still be an impactful player on the court for teams and it has been reflected in his ranking around the NBA.

In a center ranking by Frank Urbina of HoopsHype, Vucevic was ranked No. 13 in the league. It's a surprising ranking for him considering the talent around the league.

"Bulls center Nikola Vucevic could space the floor from three to an extent – his three-point shot completely abandoned him this season but over the prior five campaigns, he shot 35.6 percent from three overall – and is a good rebounder and low-post scorer. But without that reliable three-point stroke, Vucevic’s impact on winning becomes questionable as the Montenegrin big man made Chicago 6.3 points per 100 possessions worse when he was on the floor in 2023-24, a troubling mark for the former multi-time All-Star."

The biggest knock on Vucevic over the years has been his defensive ability and it has held him back a little bit. Urbina reflected on this in his ranking.

"Vucevic’s defense just isn’t that impactful so he needs to be even more efficient on offense to make up for those shortcomings moving his feet and protecting the paint."

The former Trojans center has built a nice career and continues to be a force. if he can be impactful again this coming season, he could see his ranking rise for next season.

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